


Earthwatching

by MrProphet



Category: Star Cops
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-23
Updated: 2017-04-23
Packaged: 2018-10-22 23:24:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10707318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrProphet/pseuds/MrProphet





	Earthwatching

Nathan Spring sat at the Earthwatch desk with Box on the counter beside him. “Show me thermal imaging,” he said. “Can you enhance that, Box?”

“I can, Nathan, but…”

“Then do it!”

“Yes, Nathan.”

The image on the screen sharpened considerably; it now showed an image of grey cloud in crystal sharpness.

“Box…!”

“As I was trying to explain, there is nothing in the image to enhance except for the cloud. The cover was one-hundred percent.”

Nathan put his head in his hands. “How is that possible, Box?”

“I have no information with which to answer that question, Nathan.”

“The usual hardware troubles, Nathan?” Pal Kenzy leaned nonchalantly against the doorframe.

“What would you say, Box?” Nathan passed the question on.

“These troubles are not at all usual, Nathan,” Box replied, “nor are the difficulties primarily with the hardware of the Earthwatch satellite network. Diagnostic systems and maintenance checks all show that the satellites and relays are operating within…”

“Thank you, Box,” Nathan said. “Neither, might I add, is it a software problem. Our problem – and as an Englishman I feel a certain satisfaction in saying this – is with the bloody weather.”

Pal sauntered over and leaned her palms on the console, almost pressing her nose to the screen. “Didn’t someone think of this when they built the Earthwatch network?” she asked. “’Let’s put a network of thirty surveillance satellites in orbit so we can record direct evidence of any major criminal activity.’ ‘Oh, hang on; what if we have a grey day?’”

“Of course they did,” Nathan replied irritably. “Each satellite uses a battery of optical, thermal and radar imaging systems which  _should_  be capable of penetrating any cloud cover and giving us at least  _something_.”

“Then what’s wrong? Someone attacked a bank with an armoured car and a howitzer; how could that not show up?”  
“Because that is no ordinary cloud,” Nathan replied. “Box?”

“The cloud cover is one-hundred percent and more than thirty miles thick throughout,” Box explained. “This is not impossible, although it is statistically unlikely.”

“And more statistically unlikely yet is that the same type of cloud cover has concealed at least three other major robberies,” Nathan explained.

“So what are you saying?” Pal asked. “That someone’s doing a rain dance to conceal their crimes from the International Space Police Force?”

Nathan looked up at her in astonishment. “That’s brilliant, Kenzy.”

“Oh, well don’t sound too shocked; I might start to doubt your faith in my abilities. Now, what exactly have I done that’s brilliant?”

Nathan stabbed a finger onto the communications button. “David! Get Devis and Shon, shake a pilot out of bed and take a shuttle out to the Project Rain Dance control centre on Satellite-217.”

“Project Rain Dance?” Pal asked.

“The rain seeding project.”

“Rain seeding? Clouds!”

“Right. Box, check the logs for the three Rain Dance satellites and correlate with the events we’ve been looking at,” Nathan demanded. “Someone has been summoning clouds.”


End file.
